Will Albany's Mild Winter Continue? See The January Outlook

If you love snow, winter 2023 has been off to a lackluster start in the Capital Region and through much of New York state. Will that trend continue into the new year?

Two words pretty much sum up our first couple weeks of winter: mild and rainy. It has not exactly been the best combination for adding to the holiday spirit, and the bigger picture - could this be the start of another mild winter with below-average snowfall? Usually by now, we have gotten some decent snowfall in the region, but that has yet to happen.

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New York's Weather Trend The Past 2 Winters

Locally the last 2 winters have certainly been a little off from what we are used to in the Capital Region. According to the National Weather Service, Albany averages 59.2 inches of total snowfall every winter. In 2021-22 Albany fell well below that average with 36.4 inches of snow. While we saw closer to average snowfall last winter (2022-23), it was Albany's 5th warmest winter on record according to CBS 6.

In areas further south it has been even more off. According to CBS News, New York City saw a record low 2.3 inches of snow for the season last winter! Even crazier, it has been over 650 consecutive days since Central Park last recorded an inch of snow!

Weather Channel Reveals New York's January Temperature Outlook

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While timing is everything when it comes to the perfect conditions for snowfall, based on the Weather Channel's temperature outlook for January, temperatures could be le less than ideal for snow to happen. The Weather Channel's model for January is calling for above-average temperatures for the month in the state of New York and throughout the Northeast. So at this point, it looks like our mild start to winter could continue.

Does milder weather mean we won't get snow? Certainly not - there is always hope for snow lovers when the conditions line up! But it simply could increase the odds of more precipitation arriving in the form of rain.

LOOK: NY & VT Towns Among Nation's 50 Coziest To Visit This Winter

Stacker created a list of 50 cozy American towns to visit each winter. Towns were selected based on visitor opinions, ratings from nationwide publications, and tourist attractions.

Gallery Credit: Laura Ratliff

Albany's 10 Least Snowy Winters Of All Time

Some winters in Upstate New York can be absolutely brutal as far as massive amounts of snow. Then there are times like this winter when it feels like the snow is pretty much non-existent. It wouldn't be the first time! Here are the 10 least snowy winters of all time according to the National Weather Service of Albany

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff

The Aftermath Of Winter Storm Elliot In Buffalo and WNY

A Bomb Cyclone powered by Arctic air dumped more than four feet of snow on Western New York just before Christmas. Thousands were left without power and at least thirty have been confirmed dead in Buffalo. Homes along Lake Erie received the worst of the winter, with many frozen solid.

Despite a travel ban, residents left their homes in days after for groceries and to begin cleanup. State Troopers and military police have been trying to enforce the law as much as possible. Cleanup crews have been trying to clear as much of the snow as possible and dump it into Lake Erie, but the number of abandoned cars in streets and parking lots has slowed progress.

There's currently no monetary estimate of damage to the region.

Gallery Credit: Cameron Coats

Source: Will New York’s Mild Winter Continue? See The January Outlook